At the mid and high elevations, riders and skiers have the potential to trigger slab avalanches that lie upon older hard snow layers. New snow and very strong winds today will also provide the chance for shallow surface slabs to develop by late this afternoon as snow accumulates over a snowpack topped with widespread surface hoar. Avalanches at low elevations are unlikely today.
A slight potential remains to trigger pockets of dense to hard slabs up to two feet in depth on steep slopes in and around cliff areas.
The storm is to end by morning after depositing two to four more inches in the mountains. Saturday looks to be mostly dry with a chance for light snow or flurries. Temperatures are to rise into the mid to upper twenties. West-southwest winds will have averages between ten and twenty miles per hour.The general avalanche hazard will be Moderate above 8000 feet. There hazard will mainly be limited to newly formed wind slabs with depths to a foot in steep avalanche terrain. In the Togwotee pass area, a slight chance persists to trigger deeper hard slabs with depths to three feet, particularly on north facing slopes. Avalanches below 8000 feet are not expected.
